This invention is generally directed to imaging members, and more specifically, the present invention is directed to single and multi-layered photoconductive imaging members with a hole blocking, or undercoat layer (UCL) comprised of, for example, a metal oxide, such as titanium oxide, dispersed in a phenolic resin/phenolic resin blend or a phenolic resin/phenolic compound blend, and further wherein this layer is modified by incorporating therein an in situ formed organic/inorganic network and which network can, for example, enable thicker hole blocking layers and permit excellent, and in embodiments, improved electron transporting characteristics by, for example, providing extra electron transporting paths (the statement is made based on Vlow reduction, and no value is available to characterize the improvement), and which layer can be deposited on a supporting substrate. More specifically, the hole blocking layer in contact with the supporting substrate can be situated between the supporting substrate and the photogenerating layer, which is comprised, for example, of the photogenerating pigments of U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,811, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, especially Type V hydroxygallium phthalocyanine, and generally metal free phthalocyanines, metal phthalocyanines, perylenes, titanyl phthalocyanines, selenium, selenium alloys, azo pigments, squaraines, and the like. The imaging members of the present invention in embodiments exhibit excellent cyclic/environmental stability, and substantially no adverse changes in their performance over extended time periods since, for example, the imaging members comprise a mechanically robust and solvent resistant hole blocking layer, enabling the coating of a subsequent photogenerating layer thereon without structural damage; low and excellent Vlow, that is the surface potential of the imaging member subsequent to a certain light exposure, and which Vlow is about 20 to about 100 volts lower than, for example, a comparable hole blocking layer of a metal oxide, such as titanium oxide, dispersed in a phenolic resin/phenolic resin blend or a phenolic resin/phenolic compound blend, and which hole blocking layer can be easily coated on the supporting substrate by various coating techniques of, for example, dip or slot-coating. The hole blocking layer of the present invention in embodiments possesses a harder surface than, for example, a comparable hole blocking layer of a metal oxide, such as titanium oxide dispersed in a phenolic resin/phenolic resin blend or a phenolic resin/phenolic compound blend. The photoresponsive, or photoconductive imaging members can be negatively charged when the photogenerating layers are situated between the hole transport layer and the hole blocking layer deposited on the substrate.
Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, are also encompassed by the present invention. More specifically, the layered photoconductive imaging members of the present invention can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein charged latent images are rendered visible with toner compositions of an appropriate charge polarity. The imaging members are in embodiments sensitive in the wavelength region of, for example, from about 500 to about 900 nanometers, and in particular from about 650 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source. Moreover, the imaging members of this invention are useful in color xerographic applications, particularly high-speed color copying and printing processes.